A photocatalyst is a species that efficiently absorbs ultraviolet light and generates, through a series of photochemical energy transformations, an initiator or a catalyst which is capable of initiating or catalyzing polymerization. A photocatalyst which upon absorption of ultraviolet light transfers into an electronically excited state and is directly involved in the production of initiator radicals is known as a photoinitiator.
Photoinitiators are well known for use in initiation of polymerization and crosslinking processes. Upon subjection to light or irradiation all suitable wave length, the photoinitiator produces a reactive species which can initiate the polymerisation or crosslinking process. Most common are radical photoinitiator, where the reactive species is a radical. Polymerization can also proceed using a photocatalyst which produces after irradiation an acid (cationic photocatalyst) or a base (anionic photocatalyst) as reactive species. Of these photocatalysts, the anionic photocatalysts are relatively rare.
A composition comprising a binder and an anionic photoactive compound is known from E. J. Urankar and J. M. J Frechet, Polymer Preprints Vol. 35 (II), 933-34 (1994). Said article describes the crosslinking of a copolymer film by free amine liberated from a photocatalyst. The catalyst disclosed in said article has as a disadvantage not to be active in the catalysis of some polymerisation- and crosslinking reactions such as, for example, several Michael type additions and epoxide additions.